Hacking Noob Question Inbound

[xxxScorpion]

Hey guys,

Sorry for the "wich 1 shud i git?" post but when it comes to the DS homebrew scene I'm far gone.

From reading around, comparing prices, bells, whistles and what not everyone seems to highly recommend the Acekard 2i for straight backup playing and compatibility. I only care about the above compatibility and what not as I have a PSP with which to play emulators, music, movies, blah blah blah however I've read that the Acekard 2i support team (or unofficial support team) is a bit shaky and will possibly abandon their work in the near future if "this" or "that" happens which turns me away a tad.

So in the end I ask is the Acekard 2i the absolute best for compatibility or would anyone advise alternate options although everyone has differing opinions my needs are very minimal.

I simply wish to play NDS games and would rather not need to invest in a new card in the very near future because a lack of support (although who knows what may come). Furthermore before doing much research I was looking into the M3i Zero as my flash cart purchase because of course everyone advertises "100% Compatibility" and from what I've seen that's not really the case for the most part. Additional features would be nice however I don't need any of it as long as my main purpose is served. I would like to stay on the cheaper side of things as well but any thoughts you may have or opinions on certain cards would be appreciated.

Once again sorry for the noob post.

Edit- I have a DSL and don't really plan on buying a DSi anytime soon.

Thanks.

 

[jurassicplayer]

For cheap cards, you could use either the Acekard2i or a 1:1 R4 Clone (available at shoptemp). Although there is always the possibility of the AKAIO team calling it quits and ditch all things AKAIO, they have had a record of keeping AKAIO up to date for several years already. Similarly, WoodRPG/R4 is kept up to date by Yellow Wood Goblin (who is also a part of the AKAIO team).
These two are probably the best if you are planning to keep things cheap and have been among the better carts compatibility wise.

For more expensive cards, you could go for a CycloDS Evolution or even a SuperCard DSTWO. Both flashcarts have extremely high compatibility (top tier you could say...) but have a higher price range by about $30.

You could get an AK2 instead of an AK2i, but if anything the price isn't too much of a difference to really matter (to me at least, so I went for an AK2i xD)

 

[RoMee]

So in the end I ask is the Acekard 2i the absolute best for compatibility or would anyone advise alternate options although everyone has differing opinions my needs are very minimal.

the acekard has great compatibility, but you still need to wait for updates to play new games
the cart with the best compatibility is the DSTWO
it plays new games without needing a EOS update
QUOTENew exclusive feature "iDS Anti-Piracy"DetailsUtilizing the CPU, DSTWO can emulate orginal cartidgecan, pass through and bypass any anti-piracy measures which is the first cart to do so. Most of the games will never need to be patched to run.

the DSTWO plays every game I throw at it. it's $35, but worth every penny

 

[RupeeClock]

Personally I would stay away from the M3i zero for it's very infrequent updates, I only had bad experiences with mine.

I personally found the R4DS with Wood R4 firmware, the Acekard with AKAIO firmware, and the DStwo to all have very good compatibility.

AKAIO is an unofficial firmware, but it's the sole reason people buy the Acekard, not for the official team's firmware at all. There is the threat that Normatt and Smiths might decide to drop support one day, but right now that seems a little unlikely.

In any case those three cards I mentioned are all highly compatible, and each have they're unique (dis)advantages.

R4DS - Very cheap, but 2gb limit with no DSi support
Acekard - Affordable, SDHC compatible and works on DSi, known to have contact issues.
DStwo - Pricey, but has an integrated CPU and great real-time functions, also SDHC/DSi support.

 

[liquidnumb]

...I have a PSP with which to play emulators...

A warning to all: This person is a major threat to all who may engage him. His correct use of prepositions suggests that he possesses a dangerously high level of intelligence and is likely out smarting the internet as we speak. It is only a matter of time, so I suggest you all take proper precautions and acquire an eight week supply of a food, water and comic books. If you have a bomb shelter, prepare it now. If you are among the less fortunate, fortify your home by nailing whatever furniture you have to the walls. Contact your family members right away.


Oh, and the card you want is the AK2i.

 

[xxxScorpion]

...I have a PSP with which to play emulators...

A warning to all: This person is a major threat to all who may engage him. His correct use of prepositions suggests that he possesses a dangerously high level of intelligence and is likely out smarting the internet as we speak. It is only a matter of time, so I suggest you all take proper precautions and acquire an eight week supply of a food, water and comic books. If you have a bomb shelter, prepare it now. If you are among the less fortunate, fortify your home by nailing whatever furniture you have to the walls. Contact your family members right away.


Oh, and the card you want is the AK2i.

No! Now my world domination plan is foiled. I'll get you next time Gadget, next time.

You've all helped a ton, thank you. I'm leaning toward the DSTWO for the superior compatibility but may end up with the AK2i as a starter and pawn it off on someone else after I've had my time with it. One last question though, while looking at the purchase options for the DSTWO a "Premium Update + Flashing Service" is given assuming I don't need it lacking a DSi would it matter if I chose this? Having seen "Q: Will I need to patch my SupercardDSTwo if my DSi is on version 1.4? A: No the DSTwo ships automatically patched." on the FAQ I'm curious if picking the above option would impact me.

Thanks again.

 

[RupeeClock]

You've all helped a ton, thank you. I'm leaning toward the DSTWO for the superior compatibility but may end up with the AK2i as a starter and pawn it off on someone else after I've had my time with it. One last question though, while looking at the purchase options for the DSTWO a "Premium Update + Flashing Service" is given assuming I don't need it lacking a DSi would it matter if I chose this? Having seen "Q: Will I need to patch my SupercardDSTwo if my DSi is on version 1.4? A: No the DSTwo ships automatically patched." on the FAQ I'm curious if picking the above option would impact me.

Thanks again.

The premium flashing + updating service does two things, they update the flashcarts internal firmware, and if you order a microSD with it, they'll preload it with the latest firmware and a selection of homebrew.

It's an essential option for the Acekard, to make sure it works on DSi 1.4 (if you can't flash it yourself), but you don't need to flash the DStwo this way since it's 1.4 compatible from the get go.

 

[xxxScorpion]

The premium flashing + updating service does two things, they update the flashcarts internal firmware, and if you order a microSD with it, they'll preload it with the latest firmware and a selection of homebrew.

It's an essential option for the Acekard, to make sure it works on DSi 1.4 (if you can't flash it yourself), but you don't need to flash the DStwo this way since it's 1.4 compatible from the get go.

Oh I see. Hmm, still a hard call on which to buy but this has made my experience much better and now I can at least make a more educated decision.

Thanks everyone.

 

[gosub]

SC DSTWO had an update to handle 1.4.1 within a day. Also if anything ever requires new firmware it only requires slot power not system recognition to run an update, whereas Ak2 may need to be updated on a non-DSi handheld before it will work again. That worth an extra $15 to you?

Oh, and it has extra features.

 

[Rydian]

If you have the money, get the DSTwo. GBA emulation, SNES emulation (which will be far better than on other cards, and is in bets right now, to be released soon) as well as other features (such as a higher-quality video player) are coming soon.

 

[vox87]

Hope I'm not hijacking xxxScorpion's thread, but I had a similar question that might add to his OP.

After reading this post and several others, I think I'm sold on the DSTWO (have a DSL).

But, do I need to purchase an EZ-Flash 3-in-1 with the DSTWO also? or just stick with WiFi?

I came across a number of threads during my search, and I couldn't tell if this was just a luxury, for dumping backups, or if using WiFi was good enough. Anyone else use the two or similar?

Thanks!!

 

[Rydian]

There's wifi tools you can use to dump your save data without a slot-2.

If you're talking about dumping your games, I've no clue.

 

[jurassicplayer]

If you're talking about dumping your games, I've no clue.

If you are talking about dumping games, you could use Xenon++'s nds_backup_tool_memory which uses only a slot-1 flashcart and commercial cart...but it's slightly tedious...Supposing you have an 8mb game you want to backup, you have to swap between the flashcart and commercial cart 4 times (Xenon++'s tool backs up in 2mb chunks...using the DS's wondrously limited memory)...that said, it takes at least 256 swaps for a 512mb game.

I would say that having a 3in1 after already having a DSTWO may be a bit of a luxury, as the DSTWO does come with extra power for a reason.